Training panel assembly



Sept. 13, 1960 J. H. KOCH 2952,079

TRAINING PANEL ASSEIMBLY Filedug. 21, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W .uucvr Fi ri 4 John /7f Koch IN VENTOR.

TRAINING PANEL ASSEMBLY John H. Koch, Tulsa, Okla., assignor to Burton-Rodgers, Inc., Tulsa, Okla., a corporation of Oklahoma Filed Aug. 21, 1957, Sex. N0. 679,510

7 Claims. (C1. 35-1) The present invention relates to training panel assemblies and/o1 visual monitoring assemblies and the like, and more particularly to training panel assemblies for instruction or visual monitoring purposes in which a plurality of light sources such as electric lights indicate fluid flow systems, gas, electric circuitry, or traffic comtrol or the like.

Training panel assemblies are known to the prior art. In these prior art assemblies, a schematic diagram of the visible face of the trainer is first drawn up, and then sheet metal baffles are formed to fit the contours of the lines of the diagram. The baffles are then mounted on a supporting sheet and light bulbs are installed on a sheet metal supporting sheet, the baflles then being formed and placed around the light bulbs. A plastic material is installed over the top of bafiles, so that various switchoontrolled light compartments are provided. These com partments are not accessible other than by removing the plastic face of the trainer or the back of the trainer; and it is very difficult to change any of the hnndreds of light bulbs used and to perform normal maintenance adjacent to the bulbs. Naturally, a training assembly of this type is quite costly and must be custom made for each part-icular lesson of instruction. An assembly of t=his type cannot be altered in any material respect for the purpose of giving a difierent indication Without extensive rebuilding; and for this purpose, the training panel assembly must be returned to the manufacturer. v

Thus, although training panel assemblies as known heretofore are definitely useful and have important commercial, educational and pnblic applications, they are, nevertheless, expensive and inflexible.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention @o provide training panel assemblies, or visual monitor- 1ng assemblies, on which any of a variety of illuminated linear indicia, or other indicia, may be arranged at will.

Another object of the invention is to provide training panel assemblies, 01' visual monitoring assemblies, having illuminated linear indicia, or other indicia, which may be rapidly altered even to an entirely difierent form.

A further object of the present invention is to provide training panel assemblies, or visual monitoring assemblies, having illuminated indicia provided by a multiplicity of light sources and in which any Single source of light may be quickly replaced.

' Still another object of the present invention is the provision of training panel assemblies, or visual monitoring assemblies, having illuminated indicia provided by a multiplicity of light sources, in which repairs or modifications may be effected without disassembly.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide training assemblies, or visual monitoring assemblies which Will be quite simple and inexpensive to manufacture, easy to assemble, reassemble, maintain, repair, modify, and be rugged and durable in use.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becorne apparent from a consideration of the following desoription, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of the rear of a train ing panel assembly, o1 visual monitoring assembly, according to the present invention, prior to the installation of lights thereon;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 1 but showing a stage in the construction of a training panel assembly, o1 visual inonitoring assembly, according to the present invention;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 1 but showing the attachrnent of an individual light;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevational view looking towand the rear of a completely assembled training panel Figure 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through a training panel assembly in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, there is shown a training panel assembly, or visual rnonitoring assernbly, indicated generally at 1 and comprising a uniplanar translucent panel 3, which may be of frosted glass o1 frosted plastic or other light penetrable maten'al. Se-

cured to the rear face of panel 3 is a plurality of intersecting flat strips 5 having straight parallel side edges 7 and 8. 1

Bach strip 5 along edge 7 thereof is secured to th rear -face of panel 3 as by cernenting, in which 1nstance 4 panel 3 may comprise an ordinarily transparent panel rendered translucent by frosting. Strips 5 are each disposed to a plane perpendicular or approximately so to the plane of panel 3 and each strip 5 intersects a plurality of other strips 5. T0 this end, the strips 5 extending in one direction are provided with slots 9 ex: tending inwardly from edges 7 a distance slightly more than half the width of the strip, while the stn'ps 5 extending in the other direction are provided With slots-9 extending inwardly from edges 8 a distance slightly more than half the width of the strip, so that thestrips may be assembled in interdigitating relationship; as seen by comparison of Figs. 2 and 1. There is thereby formed a pl11rality of compartments defined at their forward side by a portion of panel 3 and on four lateral sides by por tions of stn'ps 5, each compartment being open at the rear. Naturally, compartments of diiferent shapes may be achieved by the disposition of strips 5 so as to form triangular or hexagonal compartments. In any case, edges 8 in the assernbled structnre are substantially uniplanar and form in eflect an exposed g'rid disposed rearwardly of panel 3.

Detachably secured to the grid thus provided i's a plura;lity of strings of lights 11, 13, 15 and 17 comprised of a plurality of short electrically conductive wires 19 which connect in series a plurality of connectors 21 each'- which fastener 23 passes andwhich terminates laterally outwardly in a downwardly extending portion 29 which in turn terminates in an upwardly extending finger 31 having at its upper end an opposed, downwardly extending finger 33, the fingers 31 and 33 being normally spaced apart less than the width of a strip 5 so as to provide a resilient clip engageable over any edge 8 of a strip 5 forsel ectively detachably holding the lights in any of a Patenied Sept. 13, 1960 2,952,0'79 5 6 end by said :translumnt panel and open at the other end, extend into respective of said oompartxnents to 1llummate said thin strips including a first group of mutually parindicia on said panel.

. allel strips extending in a. first directi0n and a second group 0f mutually parallel strips extending in a second direction References Cited in the file this Patent per-pendicular to said first direction, each cf said strips 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS having a plurali-ty of transverse slits partially across their 1,300893 Stovel. 5 91 widths, with transverse slits of said first group engaged 1337872 Zahnow API. 20, 1920 to mesh with transverse slits cf said second group to pro- 1761239 Scott Jun 3 1930 vide said interdigitating network, said compartnients ex- 2175s44 Laystrom Oct. 10, 1939 tending lural compartment widths in said two directions, 10 2665,784 Lacy J an. 12, 1954- and a plurality of electric ]jghts individually mounted to 2817915 Chatkin Dec. 31, 1957 

